Importance (Ta Kuo)

Metaphors: Preponderance of the great / Great exceeding / Relationship to guiding principle

Social Circumstances may be such that a sustainable policy cycle of superior values experiences a period of great potential influence. This condition is necessarily unstable and the possible transition to other conditions should be carefully explored, whatever sacrifices these may then demand.

Sub-conditions:

1. In undertaking any new initiative under favourable conditions, the sustainable policy cycle should take extreme care in its preparations. (Resulting in: Resolution).

2. Under favourable conditions, the establishing of a relationship with those of inferior values may offer the possibility of renewal to the sustainable policy cycle. (Resulting in: Influence).

3. If the sustainable policy cycle is reckless in its initiatives and ignores advice, favourable conditions are destabilized and catastrophe may result. (Resulting in: Adversity).

4. The situation may be stabilized with the assistance of those of inferior values, but the result will be unfortunate if the sustainable policy cycle achieves this out of self-interest. (Resulting in: Basic need).

5. If the sustainable policy cycle abandons its contacts with those of inferior values, the cultivation of its contacts with those of superior values will further destabilize the situation rather than leading to its renewal. (Resulting in: Endurance).

6. Under exceptional conditions the task faced can be so dangerous that the sustainable policy cycle may have to accept that it may accomplish its aim only by sacrificing its very existence for the values in question. (Resulting in: Encounter).